Paperboard packet and blank therefor



@ab '79 Mm? J, @@ULD 3302,84

l PAPERBOARD PACKET@1 AND BLANK THEREFOR Filed Jan. 2l, 1965 INVENTOR. JEROME GOULD EY A!" e 574g@- ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,302,845 PAPERBUARD PACKET AND BLANK THEREFOR Jerome Gould, Los Angeles, Calif., assigner to Leslie Salt Co., a corporation of Delaware, also doing buslness as Spice Islands Company, San Francisco, Calif.

Filed Jan. 21, 1965, Ser. No. 426,922 8 Claims. (Cl. 229-16) This invention relates to a paperboard packet and, more particularly to an envelope-like packet that is capable of standing upright for purposes of maximum label display.

With respect to many items which are consumed 1n small quantities, such as spices, seasonings and the like, it is desirable to package them in small enevelopes or packets, rather than more costly and dilcult to handle cartons or bottles. However, the packets of this type are normally not conveniently arranged on a grocery shelf and they will not stand upright without the provision of special racks or containers. Consequently, since it is diicult to arrange such packets so that their labels are prominently displayed to attract attention, many merchandisers have had to resort to more expensive packaging means.

It is, therefore an object of this invention to provide an envelope-like packet that is self-supporting.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a packet that can be stood upright.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an envelope-like packet that can be collapsed to a dat, cornpact form prior to filling.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a carton packet that is easily stored and simple and economical to erect and lill.

In carrying out this invention, I provide an envelopelike packet which, prior to filling, is of flat, rectangular configuration and open at just one end. The opposing, wall-forming panels are joined by a fold line along the closed end and by a rst pair of fold lines along opposite sides. A second pair of fold lines is formed ineach panel beginning from laterally spaced points at the open end to diverge toward the closed end and merge with the first pair of side fold lines. Two pairs of closure flaps extend from the open end of the packet where they are separated along the second pairs of fold lines. When the sides of the collapsed packet are compressed the open end of the packet expands -by folding outward along the second pair of fold lines. The resultant packet has generally triangular side panels defined by the converging fold lines, and generally trapezoidal front and rear panels forming together a rectangular opening with closure flaps extending from the bases of the trapezoidal and triangular panels. When the packet is lled, the closure flaps are folded toward each other and sealed to form a flat surface that functions as a supporting bottom on which the packet may stand erect.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the specification following when read in conjunction with accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a carton blank embodying features of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a view in perspective showing the packet blank of FIG. l of partially assembled form;

FIG. 3 is a plan View of the complete packet blank in collapsed form prior to filling;

FIG. 4 is a View in perspective showing the packet blank open for filling; and

FIG. 5 is a view in perspective showing the packet as it would be displayed supported on its bottom surface.

Referring now more particularly to FIG. 1, the carton blank 1li may be cut from a single sheet of semi-rigid material such as fiberboard or the like and scored, as by means of a fixed die, to form a plurality of panels. First,

3,362,845 Patented Feb. 7, i967 ICC the blank includes a pair of front and rear display wall panels 12 and 14 which are hingedly connected along the score line 16 and a rst pair of closure flaps 18 and 20 hingedly connected to the ends of the main panels 12 and 14 along score lines 22 and 24. The main display panels are of generally trapezoidal configuration although the side edges of each preferably follow a smooth curve to converge from the score line 16 connecting them to the width of the closure flaps 18 and 2t) of their free ends. The side edges 26 of one of the main panels 14 :are free, having been cut as part of the outline of the blank 10. The Side edges of the other panel 12 are formed by score lines 28 along which generally triangular side wall panels 30 hingedly connected to the main panel 12. The side panels 30 have diverging opposite edges of the same curved configuration formed also by score lines 32. A second pair of closure flaps 34 hingedly connected `along score lines 36 extend from the bases of triangular side panels 30. A second pair of primary score lines 38 extend perpendicularly from the bottom score line 16 to divide the side panels 30 symmetrically and to form a rectangular panel with the bottom score line 16. Finally, extending from the score lines 38 and the outside of the side panels are a pair of attachment strips 4l). After the carton is cut and scored, it is delivered to a suitaile adhesive applying mechanism wherein glue is applied at 42 and 44 to certain of the opposing closure flaps and to either the side edges of the main panel 14 or the attachment strips 40.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3 the assembly of the carton will become readily apparent and is accomplished by folding the connector flaps and the side panels along the primary score lines 38 and folding the opposite front wall 14 upwardly to attach it adhesively to the inwardly extending attachment strips 4d to form the compact, generally rectangular envelope shown in FIG. 3.

When it is desired to fill the packet, it is merely necessary to compress the opposite edges at the upper portion so that bellows-like side panels fold inwardly into a single plane, thereby expanding the opening 46 to rectangular conguration formed by the bases 36 of the triangular side panels 30 and the inner sides 22, 24 of the trapezoidal main display panels.

When the packet is lled the closure flaps 18, 2li `and 34 may be folded inwardly and sealed together so that the triangular configuration of the side panels 30 is made permanent. As so formed, the packet forms a very stable display packet with the contents providing a center of gravity well within the area of the bottom panel 48. Thus, the packet may lbe stored on its bottom panel with the label 50 in full view.

While this invention has been described in connection with preferred embodiment thereof, it is obvious that modification and changes therein may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.

Having described my invention, I claim:

.1: A packet formed of paperboard or the like cornprismg:

a pair of generally trapezoidal upright front and rear main wall panels connected together by a single fold line along their upper ends,

a pair of generally triangular side panels each connected by fold lines from said single fold line along downwardly diverging sides thereof to said main Wall panels, and

a generally rectangular bottom formed by flaps connected along fold lines to the bases of said trapezoidal main wall panels and said triangular side panels and secured together in overlapped relationship.

2. A collapsible packet of paperboard or the like comprising:

a pair of generally trapezoid main wall-forming panels hingedly connected at one end along a first fold line forming the longer base of the trapezoidal configuration,

a pai-r `of generally triangular side wall-forming panels interconnecting opposing side edges of said generally trapezoidal panels, and

means forming a pair of generally parallel score lines, one in each of said generally triangular panels intermediate the side edges thereof but merging therewith and with said opposing side edges at said one end,

said generally triangular panels being folded inward along said score lines in collapsed condition and generally planar in erected position.

3. The collapsible packet dened by claim 2 including:

tirst and second pairs of `opposing closure fiaps extending respectively from the bases of said trapezoid'al and said triangular panels at the other ends thereof,

said closure flaps being of substantially the widths of the corresponding bases,

said -parallel score lines being extended to the free ends of said second pair of closure iiaps and intermediate the edges thereof.

4. A packet blank comprising:

a closure flap, a pair of main wall panels, and a seeond closure ap hingedly connected in tandem,

said main wall panels each being of generally trapezoidal configuration with the side edges thereof converging from the hinged connection between them to the width of the closure fiaps at the end thereof,

a pair of generally triangular side wall panels hingedly connected along opposite sides of one of said main wall panels, and

attachment strips hingedly connected on the outside of `said side wall panels for attachment thereof to the yother of said main wall panels.

5. A packet blank comprising:

a pair of main wall panels of generally trapezoidal configuration hingedly connected along a rst fold line,

the side edges of said main wall panels converging from said first fold line to end edges of reduced width,

a rst closure iiap of said reduced width on the end edge of at least one of said main panels,

a first gener-ally triangular side wall panel hingedly connected along one of a first pair of side edges of said main wall panels,

a first attachment strip hingedly connected on the outside of said first side wall panel for attachment thereof to the other of said rst pair of side edges of said main wall panels,

a second generally triangular side wall panel hingedly connected along one of the second pair of side edges of said main wall panels, and

a second attachment strip hingedly connected on the outside of said second side wall panel for attachment thereof to the other of said second pair of side edges of said main wall panels.

6. The packet blank defined by claim 5 including:

means forming a pair of generally parallel score lines, one in each of said generally triangular side wall panels intermediate the side edges thereof.

7. The packet blank defined by claim 5 wherein:

said first and second side wall panels are hingedly connected along opposite sides of the same main wall panel.

8. The packet blank defined by claim S including:

a complementary closure fiap on at least one of said side wall panels for attachment to said irst closure fiap.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,833,974 12/1931 Powell et al. 229-22 2,067,998 1/1937 Williamson 229-8 X 2,137,614 11/1938 Hinkle 229--16 2,143,646 1/1939 Chapman 229-5l 2,341,056 2/1944 Moore 229-22 X 3,079,062 2/1963 Craddock et al.

FOREIGN PATENTS 1,066,361 1/ 1954 France.

942,748 1l/1963 Great Britain.

JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

DAVIS T. MOORI-IEAD, Examiner. 

1. A PACKET FORMED OF PAPERBOARD OR THE LIKE COMPRISING: A PAIR OF GENERALLY TRAPEZOIDAL UPRIGHT FRONT AND REAR MAIN WALL PANELS CONNECTED TOGETHER BY A SINGLE FOLD LINE ALONG THEIR UPPER ENDS, A PAIR OF GENERALLY TRIANGULAR SIDE PANELS EACH CONNECTED BY FOLD LINES FROM SAID SINGLE FOLD LINE ALONG DOWNWARDLY DIVERGING SIDES THEREOF TO SAID MAIN WALL PANELS, AND A GENERALLY RECTANGULAR BOTTOM FORMED BY FLAPS CONNECTED ALONG FOLD LINES TO THE BASES OF SAID TRAPEZOIDAL MAIN WALL PANELS AND SAID TRIANGULAR SIDE PANELS AND SECURED TOGETHER IN OVERLAPPED RELATIONSHIP. 